Just This Once
by LoneReader3173
Summary: This is a collection of One-Shots or Two-Shots that I did not believe had any substance past a single chapter or two. There are a lot of different themes and genres I will explore with these as well as pairings (although the first few are Naruto/Sasuke, Sasuke/Naruto related.) Included descriptions, warnings, and pairings above each chapter.
1. Chapter 1

Story 1: Just This Once

Have you ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with? Drabble.

Tags: Angst, slash, no sex NaruxSasu SasuxNaru

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Sasuke stared helplessly at his best friend. "That's ridiculous, you're a guy, how the hell could I possibly be in love with you?" But his voice shook, and he could tell by Naruto's face that he didn't believe him. He said nothing, but stared at Sasuke with a horrified look in his eyes. "Naruto, say something!" He yelled. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Sasuke's nervousness was turning into full fledged panic. He had feared this day for so long. He'd always know that it wasn't possible for him to keep this secret forever. Eventually Naruto or someone else would figure it out, would notice that he could never keep a girlfriend, that he never slept with any of them, or that he only ever wanted the blond boy's company, but he hadn't expected it to come out this soon. It was too soon. He wasn't ready to lose his best friend to emotions he had tried so desperately to control. "Naruto... please..."

"How long?" Naruto's voice was harsh and he flinched at the words. Rough hands seized his shoulders and slammed him into the wall. Sasuke gasped in pain and the first tears fell silently down his cheeks. _No. Please don't take him from me._ He couldn't lose Naruto.

"Always." His voice was barely a whisper. "It was only ever you."

His best friend stepped away from him and Sasuke grabbed at his shirt. "No, please! I'll never do anything! I can keep it hidden. Please just forget." He had never had to result to begging. He had never been this desperate. But no one had ever meant anything to him like Naruto did. He was the one constant in Sasuke's life, the only bright point, the person who pushed him to be better, that never gave up on him. The only one. It was all slipping away. He couldn't stop it. "Naruto, please don't go."

But Naruto took another step back and Sasuke watched the fabric of the white shirt he was clinging to slip through his fingers in what felt like slow motion. Sasuke could feel every crack in his heart as it shattered like glass. Pain seemed to radiate outwards. "I'm sorry... I tried. I tried so hard...I promise... I tried... I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He wasstill staring at his now empty hand as he sank to the floor. Everything was gone. His entire wold was falling apart.

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Naruto stared at his friend. It couldn't be true. Sasuke was in love with him? There was no way it was possible. Sasuke would never keep a secret like that from him. That was ridiculous yes, what Sasuke had said. _That's lie. It's written all over his face_. Naruto was terrified as he looked at Sasuke. He'd never seen his dark friend like this, the fake laugh and smile as he denied his feelings, the panic in his eyes. It scared him and somehow made him angry with himself. "How long!?" He couldn't understand what was happening. He pushed Sasuke into the wall, he wanted answers.

 _Always_? He thought back quickly, racking his brain, trying find something that would make all of this make sense:

A cold winters day many years ago when they had been sitting on the high bridge over the river. Sasuke had stood on the railing with one hand holding on for support as he leaned out, staring down at the cold icy waters below. "Stop that or you'll fall, and I'm not jumping in after you." Naruto has scolded him.

Sasuke has laughed, "Would you miss me?" He'd asked a glaring Naruto. "No," He said down to the water. "How could you miss me with all those pretty girls around?"

There was a flash of a summer night when he'd helped a very drunk Sasuke to get home safely. They had collapsed on Sasuke's porch and pale arms had wrapped around his torso as those elegant features hid themselves in the fabric of his shoulder. Naruto attempted to dislodge him, but the arms held him tighter and a sad, soft voice whispered, "No... just this once... don't let go."

Neither of these memories had made sense at the time and Naruto had ignored them, but know the stood out so vividly in his mind. He stepped back in shock. Sasuke was crying. He'd never seen Sasuke cry. Naruto couldn't hear his words. His heart was breaking at the look on Sasuke's face. Pain. That was all it said. He took another step back. Guilt wracked his body. How could he have have been so blind. Always. His best friend had been in so much pain, and been so afraid for so long, and he hadn't seen it. Sasuke was sinking to the floor in defeat, and all of his words seemed to reach Naruto's ears at the same time as he lunged forward to catch his friend. I'm sorry, I tried. Please forget. Don't go.

No. He would never leave. He gathered Sasuke in his arms and held him tightly against his chest.

"I love you."

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*Im sorry this one is so short. I promise that is is the only one that is this way, but i had wanted to share it and decided that it was a better introduction than an interlude. This was something I had an idea for the past little while that just didn't fit into any of my other story ideas. I really liked it. I wanted it to be felt, and at this time, while I feel that a plot would give it deeper meaning, any plot I had for it seemed to weight down and drag it back. So, left it in its raw form with no context, to be interpreted in any universe until I find the one it belongs to. The last words are meant to be uncertain as to which one of them said it. Perhaps one I'll find the right story for it and I'll rewrite it to have deeper meaning someday. Thank you for reading, dear reader.


	2. Chapter 2

Story 2: The Love We Deserve

Summary: Naruto has been unlucky in the love department, but his best friend isn't listening... or is he?

Tags: anal, Angst, slag, fingering pwp

The warm summer breeze drifted through the window and ruffled his hair as Naruto Uzumaki sat at his friends computer desk, doodling in a note book and occasionally spinning around in the desk chair. The only light in the room coming from the muted TV on the wall, and a small desk lamp. He'd arrived at Sasuke's house over and hour ago after the girl he'd been seeing had so blatantly kicked him out, ending their relationship. It was late, when he'd arrived, but Sasuke had let him in regardless, promising to listen to whatever was bothering his friend, just as he always had. He knew he could always count on Sasuke for that kind of thing, and hadn't even had to think about coming over.

Now, however, he wasn't entirely sure that Sasuke even was listening to anything he was saying. The dark haired teen was laying horizontally across his bed, facing up at the ceiling with one his arms draped across his face. If it weren't for his right foot swaying back and forth as it dangled off the side of the bed, he would have assumed his friend had actually fallen asleep. Naruto knew that he was one of the few people Sasuke was comfortable enough with to be this relaxed around, but right now he wanted the boys undivided attention. There wasn't anyone besides Sasuke that he could vent his frustrations too without feeling as though he were being judged. Even if Sasuke did routinely judge him, and call him stupid, or a loser, it was more vibrato than actual cruelty. He didn't sincerely think negatively of Naruto, It was just how Sasuke communicated his thoughts and emotions. The stoic and aloof nature seemed to be a general Uchiha trait, from what he could tell.

"Hey! Are you paying attention here?" He glared at his friend even though Sasuke could not see him. "I'm pouring my heart out, you know?"

"No, you're not." Came Sasuke's muffled reply. "You're mad the girl you were sleeping with for two weeks didn't want to date you." He sounded irritated and tired. "And now that you've told me, you can go home. It's late, and I'm too tired for this again."

"But Sasuke, she was so hot. And her tits, god they were fantastic." He ignored the other teens protests and spun the chair around staring at his feet as he went. Stopping abruptly he added, almost as an after thought, "We had a lot in common too. We would have made a great couple." He sighed and shook his head. Sasuke sat up on his bed and pulled his feet underneath himself to sit crossed legged. He stared at Naruto with an odd expression that Naruto couldn't quite make out.

He was frowning, and still looked irritated, but he somehow also looked... sad? It didn't make any sense to Naruto, and that bothered him. He was Sasuke's best friend and knew him better than anyone else, could read him better than anyone else, so why couldn't he now? He decided to ignore it for the moment and continued on with his story and his spinning around in Sasuke's chair.

"Why does this keep happening to me?" He asked Sasuke, but his friend didn't attempt an answer knowing that Naruto wasn't going to stop talking long enough for him to do so, at really any point in the conversation. "I'm a likable guy aren't I? I'm attractive. Why can't I make any of it stick? It's always the same. I feel so, I dunno, replaceable, I guess?"

Sasuke rolled is eyes at him. "Maybe you're just a lousy kisser." Naruto stopped the chair so fast he nearly fell out of it. "I like that chair, and would appreciate it if you didn't break it." Naruto ignored his second comment and straightened himself up.

"The hell do you mean 'Lousy kisser?' Haven't you been listening? That's the only thing girls are willing to get from me. It's definitely not the issue." He glared at Sasuke, who merely smirked in return.

"Are you sure? You'd think if you were good at those things, you could at least convince one of these silly girls to stay with you just for that." Ouch, that was low blow, even for Sasuke. There was definitely something up with his friends behavior.

"Rest assured, I am a fantastic kisser." He replied haughtily. He was at least confident of that.

Sasuke stared back at him for a moment before saying, "Prove it."

"What?" Naruto wasn't entirely sure he'd heard Sasuke right, or that he understood what it meant, or that there wasn't a slight trembling to Sasuke's voice as it was said.

"Prove it." Sasuke repeated very slowly. There definitely wasn't a shake to his voice that time.

"Yeah, I heard you, jerk. What the hell does that mean. What, you want me to kiss you so you can witness my mad skills first hand?" He laughed slightly, but Sasuke shrugged and continued to stare at him with a practiced blank expression. Did Sasuke want Naruto to kiss him? He thought about it for a brief moment. Sasuke was definitely one of the most, if not the most, attractive people that Naruto had ever met. There wasn't a girl in their school who wouldn't drop kick their best friend across the room if it meant a chance at being with Sasuke. But Sasuke was a guy, and his best friend, and they were both straight, as far as Naruto knew. You didn't just make out with your guy best friend now did you?

"Are you afraid?" Sasuke scoffed at him and smirked again, but the earlier expression that had confused Naruto was back in his eyes.

"Sasuke..." the dark haired teen shook his head and opened his mouth to reply, but Naruto cut him off. "Fine." Whatever was going on with Sasuke, he was going to figure it out, and if this is what it took, so be it. He rose from the chair climbed on to the bed to kneel in front of Sasuke. His eyes widened and the smirk left his face in surprise at Naruto's approach, and once again Naruto wasn't sure what the expression meant.

Naruto hesitated only for a second, and then reaching out, placed his hand on the back of Sasuke's neck, pulling him into a kiss.

The contact drew a sharp intake of breath from Sasuke. His lips were much softer that Naruto thought they would be. Really, kissing Sasuke wasn't any different from kissing a girl. He ran his tongue along Sasuke's lower lip, and his mouth opened to allow Naruto's tongue. The kiss started slow but was quickly turning heated. Sasuke's hands stayed resting on his knees, the fabric of his sweats clutched in his pale fingers. Naruto broke the kiss for air, and Sasuke's lips followed his as he pulled away. Naruto sat back on his haunches and stared at his best friend. Sasuke's lips were still slightly parted, his breath was ragged, and a light pink flush dusted his cheeks.

The image of him in this state set Naruto's desire a lite, but it was the look in his eyes that really set him off. Sasuke was looking him such an intense desire that it was almost tangible, but there was something else there too that looked a kin to fear. Naruto couldn't help himself. He leaned forward and grabbed one of Sasuke's ankles, pulling it out and then did the same to the other, uncrossing his legs. He knocked Sasuke's legs apart and moved to sit between them, pushing him backwards and kissed him again. Sasuke's hands left his knees to instead grasp Naruto's shoulders. He felt something hard brush his thigh during their decent and one of Sasuke's darted down between them to hold Naruto's belt and keep their hips apart.

"I already felt it." He hissed in Sasuke's ear as he brought his head down to start kissing his neck, but the dark haired boy didn't remove his hand from his friends hip. Naruto reached down and smacked his hand way roughly, grabbing his hip and grinding their elections together. Sasuke cried out and quickly pushed at his shoulders, but Naruto didn't move except pull away enough to look Sasuke in the face. His eyes were shut tight and his chest was heaving. His usually sleek black hair was plastered to his forehead with sweat. Naruto dropped his forearm to the bed and shifted his weight in order to bring his other hand up and gently brush the hair aside. Sasuke's eyes opened at the touch. "Do you want this," Naruto asked carefully.

"What?" Sasuke's voice was strangled and hoarse, and sounded nothing like his usual self, but the look of desire still held strong in his eyes.

"I don't want to stop," Naruto admitted to him. "But you have to tell me that you want this."

Sasuke held his gaze, but bit his lip before answering, "I want you, but... Promise me." His voice sounded more like himself now, serious and calm, though the fingers at Naruto's shoulders trembled slightly, "Promise me you won't run away."

Naruto wasn't completely sure what Sasuke has meant by that, but why would he ever run away from his best friend? So he nodded in agreement, "I promise," and kissed Sasuke again. Seemingly emboldened by theirconversation, Sasuke responded with much more enthusiasm this time. His hands left Naruto's shoulders to weave themselves into Blonde hair, pulling him closer into the almost bruising kiss. Naruto resumed rocking their hips together, eliciting a low moan from the other's mouth. Sasuke grasped the back of Naruto's shirt at the shoulders and tugged it up over his head. Not giving Sasuke the opportunity to look him over, he crushed their lips together again, while inching his hands up Sasuke's sides to remove his shirt as well. They paused for a moment to take each other in.

He'd seen Sasuke shirtless dozens of times throughout their long friendship, but had never admire it like he did now, and smiled at Sasuke appreciatively. His friend rolled his eyes unconvincingly, and Naruto went back to attacking his neck. The sharp gasps and soft moans that occasionally slipped through Sasuke's lips went straight to his goin, and he had to shift his his body and stop grinding their hips to avoid coming early. He pulled back to look at the marks he'd left on the other boy's neck and, satisfied with the damage, continued downwards. Stopping in the center of his chest, Naruto quickly wondered if Sasuke would enjoy having his nipples played with like girls did. Deciding to stick with what he knew, he took one into his mouth.

"Naru-" he gasped, arching his back and looking down in surprise. Naruto looked up at him and smirked. "Shut up," He panted as his head fell back to the bed, his hands still resting in Naruto's hair.

"I'm not complaining," Naruto chuckled in amusement at Sasuke's attempts to maintain composure, and continued his journey slowly kissing down Sasuke's body. He went slowly, gearing himself up for what was coming next. He'd felt Sasuke's erection through his pants for the past 15 minutes, and it had made him harder than he thought he'd ever been, so what difference did it make if the fabric was removed? He wouldn't hesitate, not in front of Sasuke. 'I won't run away,' He thought and grasped the waistband of of Sasuke's sweats at boxers together and pulled both off in one swift motion. But before he got the chance to continue the ministrations with his mouth, there was a sharp tug on his hair, and Sasuke pulled him back up into another kiss. His hands crept between them to undo Naruto's pants himself, and Naruto sat back to watch him. Sasuke pulled his pants and boxers down as Naruto had done to him. He wasn't much bigger than Sasuke had been, but the difference was enough to make Sasuke pause and look up at him. Naruto smirked and winked back.

"Idiot," Sasuke rolled his eyes and suddenly Naruto found himself on his back with Sasuke straddling his thighs. He spat into his hand and grasped his and Naruto's cocks together, moving his hand up and down their length. It was Naruto's turn to moan. He hooked his hands behind Sasuke's knees and rocked his hips upwards while Sasuke stroking them continuously until he suddenly stopped. He slid forwards a little and reached sideways to his bedside table. Naruto took the opportunity to run his hands up Sasuke's thighs and caress his ass. Sasuke ignored him and returned with the bottle of lube he had been searching for. Naruto snatched it from him and Sasuke watched warily as he popped the cap and coated his fingers in the slick liquid. He rubbed his fingers together to take the chill off of before slipping his hand under Sasuke to softly stroke the tight ring of muscles he was aching to penetrate.

"Slowly." Sasuke instructed closing his eyes, bracing himself for what was coming. Naruto wondered as he watched him if Sasuke had done this before, or done this to himself. The thought of Sasuke touching himself like this made his cock twitch again, and he slowly slipped one finger inside him. Sasuke gave no reaction, but kept his eyes shut. He moved his finger in and out until he felt it was lose enough to add the second finger. Sasuke grimaced at this one, but Naruto didn't stop. He picked up the bottle of lube and thrust it into Sasuke's hand.

The raven haired boy took Naruto's hint and poured some into his hand before spreading it down Naruto's length, causing him to hiss at the cold and involuntarily open the fingers inside of Sasuke. Sasuke groaned but gave no signs of slowing down , so Naruto continued scissoring his fingers until Sasuke started pushing his hips downwards on his own. He pulled his fingers out, "Are you ready?" Sasuke nodded and shifted himself into a better position. Naruto steadied him with a hand on his hip and held his own cock upright with the other as Sasuke slowly lowered himself.

"Look at me," he demanded at Sasuke, who had closed his eyes again. Dark eyes snapped up to his. "I'm sorry," He said softly before grabbing both Sasuke's hips and roughly pulling him the rest of the way down. Sasuke cried out in pain, cursing. Naruto held onto him and sat up, claiming his lips. Sasuke returned the kiss harshly and wrapped his arms around Naruto's shoulders. Forgiven, he rocked his hips upwards again and Sasuke met each thrust, never breaking the kiss. They didn't last long like this. When he got close, Naruto snaked a hand between them to pump Sasuke as well. "Can I come inside you?"

"Yes." He choke out hastily as the words and Naruto's hand brought him to climax with a groan that sounded suspiciously like, "Naruto."

Sasuke's muscles tightening around him and the sound of his name on Sasuke's lips brought him to completion as well, and he came hard inside his best friend. They sat there panting, unable to move, until Sasuke reached over and grabbed his discarded shirt to clean themselves up with. He carefully slid off Naruto and they both collapsed back onto the bed.

As they lay there, Sasuke's words from earlier kept into his mind again. "Don't run away," He had said. And now Naruto understood. This was the part when the lust faded and reality and consequences came flooding back. This was the part where Sasuke had asked him not to panic. Things had just changed drastically between them, and he wasn't sure what to do next. They'd slept together, and now Naruto knew Sasuke's secret. There was no going back. How long had that secret existed, and had this been the reason for the sad look Sasuke had given him earlier? That Naruto had paid so much attention to these "silly girls" instead of Sasuke? He rolled onto his side to look at Sasuke, but his friend had turned away.

"Sasuke?" He asked slowly.

"Yeah?" Sasuke's voice was tired and the sadness that had been in his eyes had now crept into his voice, as though he dreaded whatever Naruto was going to ask him. Naruto didn't like that tone. It tugged at his heart in and unpleasant way. Of all the questions he had wanted to ask, he decided to pick the one he wanted an answer to the most. He slipped his arms under Sasuke to wrap around his pale torso and pull his back against his own chest.

"Sasuke... Can I keep you?" Panic hadn't filled him at all like he thought it should, just questions. Sasuke was his best friend, and he had no intention of ever living without him around. They already did everything together, could talk for hours about everything or lay side by side in silence and still somehow understand each other's thoughts and feelings. In Naruto 's opinion, the only thing a relationship with Sasuke would change was added bonus of sex.

Of everything he could have asked, it didn't seem that this was what Sasuke has been expecting. He turned back to look at Naruto. "What?" He sounded surprised and skeptical.

"I want to stay with you," he kissed Sasuke on the back of the shoulder, "like this." He looked Sasuke in the eyes, in hopes he would understand the sincerity in his voice. "I want you to be mine, and no one else's."

Sasuke just started at him dumbfounded for a few moments. "Che, idiot." He scoffed and turned back over, away from Naruto. He stared at Sasuke's back, frozen and confused. Had he just misunderstood and been rejected again? "I was always yours." His voice was so quiet, Naruto wasn't sure he'd heard it at first.

"Asshole." He sighed in relief, feeling Sasuke chuckle softly as he pulled the blankets over them both and Naruto pulled him closer again, holding him tightly as they both fell into a peaceful sleep.

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this one was super cheesy, which is partly why I didn't think it would fit well into any story, but I still couldn't get it out of my head. Sometimes cheese is good for you.


	3. Chapter 3

Story 3: Sometime after midnight

Itachi's parents recently passed away in a car accident. In order to make ends meet, Itachi rents out rooms in their house to his friends, including his best friend, and war buddy, Naruto. But will his little brother's sleepwalking, drive the blond out of the house?

Tags: Angst, fluff, no-sex, minor

Naruto sat upright, chest heaving as he struggled to breath. Something around his legs was constricting his movement and he fought to free himself in the darkness, when he was suddenly falling backwards. It was a short distance but he still hit ground with a loud thud that winded him further, and something sharp tore into his left arm. He lay on a hard surface with his feet still in the air. Rolling over with a pained groan he could feel a smooth wooden surface beneath his fingertips. Moonlight shone through the window well above him. Blinking his eyes rapidly, trying to adjust to the darkness he could make out a glass topped nightstand to his left that must be the culprit of the pain in his arm. Familiar scents filled his nostrils and it slowly began to register in his head that he wasn't in fact in some war torn country on the other side of the world. He wasn't being shot at, he wasn't having to fight for his life. He was home and safe. The comforter from his bed lay in a heap beside him on the hard wooden floor.

There was a scrambling and clattering on the floor from the other side of the bed as the teenage boy, who'd been asleep beside him, attempted to orient himself as well. He must have also been ejected from the bed in Naruto's struggle. The boy would get up and bolt from the room, pretending his sleepwalking hadn't brought him to the place it always did.

Naruto had joined the military five years ago at the age of eighteen. There he had met the best friend he'd ever had. He and Itachi had fought side by side throughout their career and had been through a lot together. Naruto had been gravely injured and taken out of action about a year ago, and shortly after Itachi's parents had passed away in a car accident and he was also forced to end his military career in order to take care of his younger brother. He wouldn't inherit anything until he was twenty five, and so Itachi had fought to find work and make ends meet. That is until he'd come up with the idea of renting out the rooms in his family's large mansion. Naruto, of course, was all too eagerly agreed to help. Not being able to fight any longer, it was comforting to be around both his best friend, and someone who understood what he was going through being back home.

Before he had moved in, Itachi had warned him that his little brother had begun sleepwalking after the accident. Sasuke had been asleep in the backseat when the car had crashed, and his therapist suggested that that might have had something to do with it. At first he'd barely noticed. He didn't do it often, maybe once a week at the most frequent. Every once in awhile he'd find Sasuke asleep in a strange place like under the kitchen table or in the middle of the hallway. But then he started waking up with Sasuke in his bed in the mornings.

Luckily it had only been the three of them at the time. When Kisame has moved in, Itachi had been even more worried about Sasuke's nighttime adventures. But Sasuke had stuck to only sleepwalking into Naruto's bed after that first incident. The first time had led to a lot of screaming between them, and remained the most Sasuke had ever spoken to him. If he had thought Itachi was aloof and antisocial, he paled in comparison to Sasuke. In the year he'd lived here, The boy had rarely said more than one word to him, never more than a single sentence, and none of it was ever pleasant. He'd asked Itachi if it was a result of the accident, or if he just didn't like Naruto in the house, but Itachi had told him Sasuke's attitude was nothing knew and that he'd always more or less been that way.

Naruto rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling. The footsteps that he'd expected to hear running out of the room didn't come, instead there came creaking of bed springs from above as Sasuke crawled across it to peer blearily down at him.

His dark eyes, so like his brothers, met his own, full of confusion and what would be concern for a normal person, but for Sasuke was most likely annoyance. "What happened?" He asked groggily.

"Don't worry about it." He looked upwards at the ceiling away from Sasuke, the same as Sasuke did to him every time he found him in his bed.

Sasuke scoffed at him and reached over to turn on the lamp resting on the table naruto had quite nearly overturned. Naruto had followed his movements in the dark and was blinded when the light clicked on, and lifting his arm to shield his eyes, is when he felt it. The table had torn a sizable gash in his forearm and blood was flowing freely down his arm and over the floor.

"You're bleeding all over the place." Sasuke needlessly informed him, before gracefully stepping from the bed and striding from the room. Naruto was quite sure he liked Sasuke better when he was getting the silent treatment. He pulled his legs off the bed and pushed himself up off the floor and headed for the bathroom attached to his room. The bathroom was also attached to Deidara's room, so he made sure the other door was shut before turning the light on as not to wake him. Blood cover the floor where he lay and had soaked the sleeve and left side of his shirt. He removed it and place it the sink, filling it with cold water in hopes of not staining it. The cut didn't look as bad as he'd initially thought, at least he was hoping he wouldn't be needing stitches. He wrapped a clean wash cloth around it to stem the flow of blood, and started the search for something the resembled a first aid kit. Just as he was beginning to look through the drawers, however, he heard footsteps in his room and Sasuke appeared in the doorway holding out to him the very thing he had been looking for. He straightened up from his crouched position and and stared at Sasuke, who still did not look at him, in confusion and disbelief. When he did not take the kit from Sasuke, the boy finally turned to him.

"It's a first aid kit." He said bluntly finally looking at him, as though this was the reason Naruto did not immediately take it.

Naruto rolled his eyes and took the kit, "I can see that. It's the niceties I'm confused by." But Sasuke wasn't listening. He was just staring at Naruto with a strange expression on his face. He didn't have to follow Sasuke's gaze to know what he was staring at. "Not polite to stare, kiddo." He turned to place the first aid kit on the counter and began rummaging through it. He'd seen that look so many times. It was the same one everyone who saw his scars gave him.

"Don't call me that." He snapped back. Naruto expected him to leave but instead he was surprised again as Sasuke hoisted himself up to sit on the counter and hold his hand out for Naruto's injured arm.

"Oh, you're a doctor now huh?" He chuckled.

"Well if you can bandage it one handed be my guest." Naruto hadn't thought if that. He looked at Sasuke cautiously. His face was stoic and blank, but his hand was still out stretched. Naruto handed over his arm and Sasuke very carefully removed the towel. "I'm pretty sure this is gonna need stitches. The bleeding doesn't seem to be slowing at all." He turned on the faucet, wet a clean portion of the towel, and cleaned away the dried blood to look at the wound better. It continued to bleed while he worked.

"Sorry, to wake you." Naruto blurted out, not knowing what else to say, in this situation that was awkward to him. Though Sasuke woke up next to him about once a week, the boy was a stranger. He glanced up at Naruto with a raised eyebrow.

"You didn't." He said simply. "I was already kind of in and out." He paused before adding very quietly, "You were talking in your sleep." Naruto felt his face heat up as it reddened and he looked away. He knew what he'd dreamed about, and what he must have said. Sasuke continued to clean his arm and didn't pry further, though he occasionally glanced up at the scars covering Naruto's chest and torso where he'd been shot three times. Finally Sasuke sighed and grabbed some gauze from the kit and pressed it down over the wound, taping it in place, before hopping down from the counter. "You're car's still in the shop?"

Naruto nodded examining the bandage that was already turning red. "It can probably wait til morning."

But Sasuke his head. He pushed and brushed his dark hair bangs from his forehead as he was thinking, "Get dressed I'll drive you to the ER."

"Damn, I was hoping to avoid that." He wanted to steer clear of hospitals as much as he possibly could. The two months he'd spent in recovery were more than enough to last him a lifetime.

"Yeah, me too." Sasuke said softly as walked away, and Naruto wondered if he meant the hospital or him. He found a clean T-shirt and debated changing his pants, but laziness won out and and he met Sasuke upstairs in his pajamas after pulling on the shirt and a pair of sneakers. Sasuke appreared to have done the opposite and only changed his pants. The weather was mild enough that neither felt the need for a jacket. The drive was spent in silence once again, as Sasuke hadn't even turned on the radio for the short ride. He parked the car and seemed to hesitate following Naruto into the Emergency building.

"You don't have to stay. I appreciate the ride." Naruto smiled at him as he got out of the car. But he climbed out of his car to follow Naruto.

"It's fine. I'm awake anyway." He was avoiding Naruto's eyes again. But on the ride over it had dawned on him that Sasuke probably hated hospitals as much as he did. This was the place he'd been forced to goodbye his parents. Where he'd waited all alone for Itachi to come back for him. None the less, Sasuke followed him inside.

Half an hour later they were still sitting the waiting room. Sasuke had seated himself opposite Naruto, but still wasn't looking at him. He was slouched to the side with arm resting on the arm rest, propping up his head, and the heel of the opposite foot tapped quietly but nervously on the laminate floor. Naruto watched him for a bit. He really did look a lot like Itachi, and yet nothing like him at all. Somehow, everything about him was darker, except his skin, which was like porcelain. All in all, Sasuke was more attractive in his opinion. He lifted his head and looked anxiously around the room biting his lip, until he met Naruto's eyes and then turned away again. Naruto stood up and moved across the isle to sit beside him, and Sasuke sat up straight and shifted uncomfortably. He wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to say to Sasuke, but he was hoping to distract him from his surroundings enough for him to relax. However, as soon as he opened his mouth to speak, his name was called from across the waiting room.

"Uzumaki?" The dark haired nurse stood on her toes to search the room for who ever would respond to the call. Naruto stood and she acknowledged him with a nod, holding the door open and waiting. He tapped Sasuke gently on the shoulder and motioned with his head, hoping Sasuke would follow. Perhaps he'd be able think of something to talk to about on the way. Sasuke hesitated again, stood and hurried after. The Nurse led them back to private room and told them someone would be in to see him in a moment.

Naruto took a seat on the bed, and when Sasuke didn't move from standing awkwardly in the corner he patted the bed next him and the boy took it, sitting perhaps a bit closer than he needed to. He was still working out what he wanted to say, when there was a light knock at the door and a pink haired girl who looked to be about Sasuke's age entered.

"Hello, my name is Sakura, I will be- " her head had been down when she entered and when she looked up she nearly dropped her clipboard, "oh! Sasuke?" She looked down and quickly checked the name on her chart.

"Sorry, I'm the medical assistant tonight. I'm here to take get your vitals, Mr. Uzumaki." She addressed Naruto again. Sasuke nodded at her, but it didn't appear that she saw. She smiled at Naruto and began grabbing equipment to do her job. Sasuke didn't move from the bed next to him and Naruto wondered if this was out of spite as it was clear that he was in the way.

"You look good, Sasuke." she told him though she wasn't looking at him. He mumbled a quick "thanks."

"Your vitals look good, the doctor will be in to see you in a moment." She smiled kindly at Naruto again and left the room.

"She's cute." He said turning to Sasuke. The boy rolled his eyes at Naruto.

"She's my ex." He said flatly.

"Did it end badly? She said you look good." He was genuinely curious, and realized that he knew very little about Sasuke. Not his interests, his friends, or even his sense of humor.

"She meant I look like I'm not on drugs." Ah yes, he remembered Itachi talking about Sasuke's addictions and being worried about him while they were deployed.

"Is that why you broke up?" He wasn't sure it was proper to ask Sasuke these kinds of questions, but he didn't seem perturbed about answering other than the occasional eye roll.

"Partly." He said, and when Naruto continued to look any him questioningly, he added, "That and... I... realized that I... don't like girls, while I was with her."

"And you told her this?" He asked.

"No." He shifted uncomfortably, "I just stopped paying attention to her and let her think it was because of the drugs." A light pink blushed tinged his pale cheeks. "I never told anyone."

"Not even Itachi?" Sasuke shook is head. "Huh." Naruto paused to think about it. "I'm flattered."

"What?" Sasuke looked at Naruto, confused.

"You telling me means you must trust me, at least a little anyway, and do t completely hate me." He shrugged.

There was a long silence between them before Sasuke asked, "Are you..." he seemed to be searching for words and it was Naruto who was confused now, "you and Itachi... I saw you together."

Naruto laughed loudly, and before he could explain, the door opened again, and the smile faded quickly from his face.

"You!" Both he and the doctor entering exclaimed at each other. Tsunade, the doctor who had stitched him back together after he'd been pulled from, dying, from the battlefield, was glaring at him in her disapproving fashion.

"Boy I am getting mighty tired to putting you back together," the blonde woman told him in away that sounded both concerned and a annoyed.

"It's not my fault!" He told her defensively, "I mean, it kind of is, but it's not like I do it on purpose. What are you even doing here?"

"Mind your own business." She told him, ignoring his returning scowl and holding out her hand for his arm, "What happened?"

"I fell out of bed." He knew she wouldn't believe him, but he was too stubborn to tell her that he was still having nightmares.

Her attention had fallen to Sasuke, "I never see you without an Uchiha, I seems." Sasuke looked uncomfortable under her gaze, but she she stare at him long, "looks like you traded in your shadow for a newer version. This one's a bit young for you." She went back to his arm and removed the bloody gauze to examine the wound. He didn't answer her. He knew the comment was in jest and he was to tired to play. "Yeah, you're gonna need stitches. I'll be right back."

He and Sasuke again sat in silence before Sasuke said very softly, "I have them too. Nightmares." He paused before hurriedly added, "I never thanked you." He stopped again and Naruto waited patiently. "For saving him. Without you... I'd be alone right now."

Naruto turned to him but he was looking down at his hands. He wasn't sure how to respond, so he answered Sasuke's earlier question. "We were very drunk. All we did was make out for awhile. He made a few attempts to go further, but I didn't let him. I knew it was something he'd regret. He still won't even talk to me about it. Every time I bring it up, his face turns bright red and he hits me." He laughed at the memory and Sasuke was watching him carefully. "I like women, and I like men. It depends on the person really." He smiled at Sasuke.

The door opened again, and Tsunade returned with the suture kit. The mood changed considerably for the better from there. Tsunade would poke fun at Naruto, which made Sasuke laugh, a sight he never thought he'd see. The effect on Sasuke's face and the tone of his laughter was something he decided that enjoyed and want to see more of.

They were only there for another half an hour or so and it was still only around three am when they had returned home. Sasuke politely told him good night and lingered on the stairs before he started up the steps that led upstairs to his room, as naruto went down to his. It felt odd to him to watch Sasuke go. He lay awake in bed for another couple of hours, partly lost in thought and partly hoping his door would open and Sasuke would crawl back into bed with him once again. But he didn't that night, or the next, or at anytime over the next two months. In fact he barely saw him at all. It was as if that night in the ER had never happened.

Naruto felt a sinking in his chest. But what had he hoped for? Him and Sasuke to become friends? Lovers? No, it was better this way. Sasuke was young and getting his life back on track, he didn't need Naruto's influences. Itachi had told him one night as the were watching tv in the living room, that Sasuke had been started on new meds that seemed to have halted his sleepwalking. On the rare occasion that Naruto did see him, he looked well rested and brighter. Friends of his had started to come over every now and then, and Naruto felt a pang of jealousy. True, he had Itachi, but he had started a good job that kept him busy and Naruto didn't see much of him anymore either. The rest of Naruto's friends were back home on the other side of the country. Everyone else that he knew here were Itachi's friends and their roommates, and Naruto didn't much care for any of them either. Itachi. He would never have approved of him being with Sasuke anyway, so it was good it hadn't gone anywhere. Itachi's trust wasn't something that he wanted to betray.

Still he felt uneasy, but chalked it up to loneliness. It was best that Sasuke was doing better, and no longer sleepwalking, and he was selfish for wishing otherwise. The boy was underage, still innocent. He was as young as Naruto had been when he'd enlisted. It was only a five year difference, but to Naruto seventeen felt like a life time ago, and his memories of that time sometimes felt as if they belonged to someone else.

His own sleep had become very erratic and his nightmares had increased in number. While he'd not injured himself again, it had effected his sleep nearly every night, and he hadn't had a good nights rest in weeks.

It was on one of these night that he found himself laying on the couch, watching tv, in the downstairs living room at two o'clock in the morning. Another dream had woken him and he had given up in trying to sleep any more Deidara and Kisame were both gone to some party for the evening so he had the basement to himself. He'd been flipping through stations for the past 30 minutes, and was about to give up and attempt to sleep once again, when something caught his eye at the foot of the couch. He jumped and sat up, but Sasuke didn't react at all. He stood there silently in the dark staring at Naruto with the glazed over eyes of sleep. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do.

Once when Sasuke had crawled into bed with him, he had gotten out up to come sleep on the couch, and had woken to Sasuke asleep on top of him. Another morning of yelling had ensued. This time though, things might be different. He hesitated but then held out his hand to Sasuke who stepped forwards to take it and Naruto guided him down to lay with him. Sasukes head was tucked under his chin and an arm and a leg were draped over his torso and thighs.

Naruto brought a hand up to run his fingers through Sasukes dark, soft hair as he went back to channel surfing. It was an undeniably good feeling to be holding Sasuke like this, though the guilt of taking advantage of the situation lingered still. He settled on the history channel and spent the next hour watching documentaries and running his fingers through Sasuke's hair when he felt the boy stir. He froze as Sasuke shifted and lifted his head. The boy jumped slightly when he realized that he wasn't in his own bed. He groaned and glanced up at Naruto.

What time is it?" He asked sleepily. Pushing himself up to sit straddling Naruto's hips.

"About 3:30." Naruto answered him, watching as he stretched his arms over his head, the hem of his shirt raising up to show his pale stomach and abs, and resisted the urge to tough him.

Sasuke nodded, and to Narutos surprise, he lay back down with his on Naruto's shoulder, adjusting his body slightly to make himself more comfortable. He was quiet for some time. Naruto wondered if he'd fallen back asleep, and so resumed running his fingers through Sasuke's hair. The boy startled Naruto when he asked, "You like this sort of thing?"

"What? Documentaries?" He chuckled, and Sasuke shifted to look up at him.

"Yeah, I kind of figured sports were more your thing." He was close enough that Naruto could feel his breath against his jaw.

"No, I never really played sports. The military was the first really active thing I ever did." He looked down at Sasuke who was still watching him intently. "Why? Would you rather watch sports? You're the one who plays them."

Sasuke shook his head. His gaze never left Naruto's face, but he also didn't say anymore. They stayed, staring at each other before Naruto raised a hand to brush Sasuke's hair back from his face. The boy leaned into the touch and his eyes closed briefly, before focusing on Naruto more intently, almost pleading. He knew what that look meant, what Sasuke wanted, and he longed to give it to him. Against better judgement, he propped himself up on his elbow and leaned in for the kiss. Sasuke met him half way and Naruto felt his hands tighten in the fabric of the shirt on his sides. It was a short kiss before Naruto pulled away pressing their foreheads together. "I shouldn't have done that," he whispered against Sasuke's lips.

"Yeah, probably not." He shifted to pushed Naruto back, straddling his hips again, and crushed their lips back together in a much hungrier, demanding kiss. Naruto pushed himself up into a sitting position so that he was holding Sasuke in his lap. The boys fingers dove into blond hair to pull Naruto closer and deepen the already rough kiss, and Naruto's hands began roaming up Sasuke's pale thighs. Just as he pulled Sasuke's hips down into his own, there came the slam of a door, laughter, and footsteps on the stairs. They flew apart to sit opposite each other on the couch, neither ready to be discovered just yet. Deidara and Kisame entered the room. Deidara was talking loudly, and saying as he walked, his long blonde hair all over his face. Kisame looked annoyed and headed straight for his room without acknowledging Naruto or Sasuke.

"Oh, come on!" Deidra called after him.

"Dude," Naruto said to him sternly, "It is four in the morning."

"Shut up!" Deidara snapped loudly, and plopped himself on the couch and between them and began to sob uncontrollably. Naruto sighed, knowing that he would be the one that had to deal with him tonight. He looked over at Sasuke who was staring pointedly at the TV but his fingers kept running along his lips, and he seemed to be in a bit of a daze. Naruto smiled and stood up, drawing the boy's attention. He winked at him and pale cheeks turned red, even in the dim light. He gave a slight nod back and also stood to head for the stairs as fast as he could without running. Naruto turned his attention back to the sobbing Deidara.

"He hates me, too." Deidara whimpered referring to Sasuke's retreating back. Naruto didn't respond at first. It was true, Sasuke didn't seem to like Deidara very much. The blondes explosive nature seemed to irritate him and the two often butted heads.

"No one hates you. Come on," he grabbed him by the arm and pulled him to his feet. He continued to cry, saying things that were unintelligible through his tears, but Naruto got the gist of what seemed to be a fight between him and Kisame. "I know, I'm sorry." He told him, though he want really listening. His mind had wandered back to Sasuke and smiled at the feeling that he would Indeed be seeing a lot more of the boy in his bed.


End file.
